# GENETIC EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDIES OF ALZHEIMERS DISEASE

> **NIH NIH R01** · BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS · 1991 · $420,365

## Abstract

Alzheimer's disease (AD) looms as the major public health problem of the
twenty-first century.  A variety of risk factors for developing AD have
been proposed including a strong genetic component.  Even though familial
clustering of AD is not common, it is unclear whether genetic mechanisms
account for AD in only a small proportion of cases or whether, in fact, all
AD is inherited.  The overall goals of this proposal are (1) to determine
what proportion of AD cases are very likely sporadic and familial cases of
AD for subsequent studies of clinical profiles which may lead to a better
understanding of the etiology of the disease.  In order to accomplish these
goals we shall establish a family registry using data collected by
researchers in 6 centers in the United States and Canada.  The diagnosis of
AD will be established by NINCDS/ADRDA research criteria.  Family history
and clinical history data will be elicited from consecutively ascertained
patients with suspected dementia by direct and telephone interview using
standardized questionnaire instruments.  Medical records, autopsy reports
and death certificates will be sought and carefully reviewed by trained
personnel.  These data will be assembled in a computerized data base.  We
expect to collect information on 700 examined cases (50%-65% AD, 35%-50%
non-AD dementia) per year totaling 3500 cases by the end of the project
period.  Sex and age adjusted rates of dementia in the general population
will be derived from 3 control groups:  (1) the Framingham Study cohort
comprised of 5,209 individuals; (2) the control group for the University
of Washington Alzheimer Disease Patient Registry, the cases of which will
also be contributed to this study; (3) a stratified sample of 4,164
community residents participating in an epidemiological study of the
elderly at Duke University.

These data will allow us to estimate the age at onset distribution of AD
using complex life table analysis techniques, to evaluate genetic and
environmental transmission models for AD by pedigree analysis, and to
develop a strategy for estimating the likelihood that a case is non-
familial.  Previous studies addressed these questions less effectively
because of much smaller sample sizes.  Identification of variant
transmission patterns among geographic areas or among persons with
particular risk factors may yield important clues about etiology.  Progress
in these areas will hopefully lead to better methods for identifying genes
involved in expression of AD and for assessing risk of AD in individuals
according to family history and other risk factors.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3120838
- **Project number:** 1R01AG009029-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS
- **SAM.gov UEI:** FBYMGMHW4X95
- **Principal Investigator:** Lindsay A. Farrer
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1991
- **Award amount:** $420,365
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 1991-05-01 → 1996-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3120838

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3120838, GENETIC EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDIES OF ALZHEIMERS DISEASE (1R01AG009029-01A1). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-24 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3120838. Licensed CC0.

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